Texans' defense on pace to make "history"

By John McClain |
September 29, 2009

The Texans' defense has allowed well over 100 rushing yards to opposing running backs on the first three games of the season.

After three games, the Texans are so bad on defense they are on a pace to allow more yards and more yards rushing than any team in NFL history.

In losses to the New York Jets and Jacksonville and the victory over Tennessee, the Texans have allowed 1,309 yards (436.3 a game), including 614 (204.7) rushing.

The 1981 Baltimore Colts own the NFL record for most yards allowed with 6,793. The Texans are on a pace for 6,981.

The 1978 Buffalo Bills own the league record for most rushing yards allowed with 3,228. The Texans are on a pace for 3,275.

“I don’t think we executed some things very well, but the yards are what they are,” coach Gary Kubiak said Monday. “Obviously, we’ve been giving up a bunch of them, and we have to dig our way out of a real deep hole.

“I think we’re doing the right thing. I just don’t think we’re doing it very well.”

As bad as the defense has been under first-year coordinator Frank Bush, it’s not as bad as the 2006 defense was after three games.

In Kubiak’s first season, the Texans started 0-3. Richard Smith was in his first season of calling defenses, and the Texans ranked last with 483.6 yards allowed per game.

Smith was fired after last season, when the Texans ranked 22nd in defense. Bush was elevated from senior defensive assistant.

“I see some mistakes, some assignment issues,” Kubiak said Monday. “We’re giving up big plays. That’s where the yardage is coming from. I don’t think it has anything to do with the calls. I go back and watch the game, and I think Frank called a good game.”

What bothers Kubiak, Bush and the other defensive coaches is the number of long runs the Texans are giving up. Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew was the latest in what could be a long line of backs feasting on the Texans’ run defense.

Jones-Drew had a 61-yard touchdown run on which safety John Busing was out of position. Busing had replaced Dominique Barber, whose mental mistake had allowed Tennessee running back Chris Johnson to score on a 69-yard reception in Week 2.

“The thing that’s so disappointing about the big run is that the first play of the game, they ran the exact same play, and we were in the exact same defense,” Kubiak said about Jones-Drew being stopped by Antonio Smith after a 4-yard gain. “Then 24 or 25 plays later, they run the exact same play. We were in the exact same defense. We decided to do something different.”

Bushing came inside, and Jones-Drew cut outside and blew by him.

Quarterback David Garrard had a 30-yard run. Receiver Mike Thomas ran for 22 yards on a reverse. Those three runs accounted for 113 yards. The Jaguars’ other 28 carries netted 71 yards.

“That’s what’s hurting our team,” Kubiak said. “That’s what’s confusing — why we wouldn’t have the consistency. It’s something that we’re stumped with right now as coaches, but it’s our job to figure that out.”

Kubiak is so concerned about the defense that he’s thinking of moving defensive ends Jesse Nading and Tim Jamison from the practice squad to the regular roster in an effort to bolster the pass rush. Mario Williams is the only player with a sack in three games.

Kubiak also wants the defensive backs to play tighter coverage.

“We’re going to keep looking,” Kubiak said, “and we’re going to give some guys some opportunities to step up and see if they can help this thing get corrected and get more consistent.” Kubiak said. “We’ve got to be fair to those guys. We’ve got guys playing hard, but s Some of the mistakes that we’re making just are not fair to the group.

“We’ve got to find some consistency throughout the back end for us to be successful.”